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AWFUL  CALAMITIES: 

OR, 

•THE-. SHIPWRECKS  OF  DECEMBER,  1839, 

BEINO  A  FULL  ACCOUNT  OF  THK 

DREADFUI.  HVHHICANBS  OP  DISC.  15,  21  di  27, 
ON  THE  COAST  OF  MASSACHUSETTS ; 

IN  WHICH  WERE  LOST  MORE  THAN  90  VESSELS,  AND  NEARLY  300 
DISMASTED,  DRIVEN  ASHORE  OR  OTHERWISE  DAMAGED,  AND 

OF  WHICH  FULL  STATISTICS  ARE  CIVETS  5 
COMPRISINQ  ALSO 


A  PARTICULAR  RELATION  OF  THE  SHIPWRECK  OF  THE  FOLLOWING  VESSELS 

BARaUE  LLOYD,  BRIGS  POCAHONTAS,  RIDEOUT  AND  J.  PALMER, 
AND  SCHS.  DEPOSITE,  CATHARINE  NICHOLS  AND  MILLER. 

AND  ALSO  OF 

THE  DREADFUL  DISASTERS   AT  GLOUCESTER. 


BOSTON  J 

PRESS  OF  J.  HOWE,  No.  39,  MERCHANTS  ROW. 

1840. 


f  t" 


GIFT  Of 

PffOFESSOR    C.A.  KOFOID 


K^tered  according  to  Act  of  Cougre.,,  i„  the  year  mo,  br 
WALTON,  SKINNER  &.  TRACT 
I»  th,    acrk-.   Office   .f  the  District  Court   in  M.s„c&«t.. 


AWFUL.   CALAMITIES,  &c. 


It  has  probably  never  fallen  to  the  ^ot  of  the  titizcna  of  New  En j 
land,  to  witness,  or  record,  so  many  terrible  disasters  by  sea,  in  the  short 
period  of  fourteen  days,  as  have  transpired  within  that  length  of  tim« 
the  present  month.  Throe  gales  of  unciqualled  fury  and  destructive 
ness,  have  swept  along  our  coast,  carrying  desolation  and  death  in  their 
stormy  pathway,  and  overwhelming  many  families  in  the  deepest  mourn- 
ing. Many  who  entered  upon  the  month  of  December  with  a  fair  pros- 
pect of  enjoying  "a  happy  new  year,"  and  perhaps  a  long  life,  now 
sleep  in  the  bosom  of  the  great  deep  with  the  sea-weed  wrapped  around 
Ihera,  or  have  been  tossed  on  shore  by  the  bellowing  surges,  and  all 
bruised  and  mangled,  have  heen  followed,  perhaps  by  strangers,  to  an  un- 
timely grave.  Often  as  we  have  been  called  to  weep  with  those  who  hava 
wept  over  the  sad  wreck  of  human  hope,  we  have  seldom  met  with  any 
thing  so  well  calculated  to  excite  the  sympathy  of  all  the  friends  of  hu- 
manity, as  the  melancholy  events  which  we  have  recorded  below. 

In  giving  the  history  of  the  late  dreadful  shipwrecks,  we  propose  to 
speak  of  the  devastations  of  the  three  gales  separately,  first  inserting  a 
list,  as  complete  as  possible,  of  all  the  vessels  wrecked  or  damaged  ; 
and  then  detailing  some  of  the  affecting  incidents  accompanying  thcso 
disasters.  We  have  been  at  great  pains  to  collect  the  materials  from  tiia 
most  authentic  sources,  and  have  no  doubt  but  this  unpretending  pam- 
phlet will  afford  the  best  account  of  these  remarkable  providences  of 
God  which  will  fall  into  the  reader's  hands. 

<EHE    rZB.ST   GAZ.SI. 

On  the  night  of  Saturday,  December  14,  at  abont  midnicjlit, 
a  violent  snow  storm  commenced  along  the  coast,  and  continued 
to  rage  until  late  on  Monday.  During  a  part  of  the  time,  the 
snow  gave  place  to  a  freezing  rain.  About  2,  P.  M.  on  Sunday, 
the  rain  commenced,  and  the  wind  at  the  same  time  rose  to  a 
gale  ;  but  it  was  not  until  11,  P.  M.  that  the  unprecedented  and 
devastating  hurricane  broke  upon  the  ill-fated  shipping.  From 
ttiat  time  until  2  or  3  o'clock,  A.  M.  of  Monday,  it  continued  a 
perfect  tornado.  It  blew  hard  all  Monday,  and  Monday  night, 
but  the  most  damage  was  done  on  Sunday  ni^^ht.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  the  vessels  wrecked  or  datnaged,  as  far  as  has  been 
learned. 


Mi217098 


BOSTOIV. 

Schooner  Harwich,  at  anchor  in  the  stream  dragged  against 
ship  Columbiana,  at  Lewis'  Wharf,  carried  away  mainmast,  stanch- 
eons,  bulwarks,  &lc.  Knocked  off  the  cut-water  of  the  Colum- 
biana, and  chafed  her  badly,  carrying  away  her  anchor.  Sic. 

Schooner  Clarinda,  of  Boston,  and  a  lighter  sloop  were  sunk 
at  Lewis'  Wharf. 

Ship  Propontis,  of  Boston,  from  Cadiz,  broke  adrift  from  Sar- 
gent's Wharf,  tore  out  her  timber-heads,  and  drove  up  the  dock 
where  she  remained  safe. 

Ship  Forum,  of  Boston,  broke  her  moorings  at  Granite  Wharf, 
drove  up  the  dock,  stove  in  her  stern,  carried  away  her  foretop- 
mast,  and  was  otherwise  damaged. 

Ship  Sterling,  of  Boston,  broke  adrift,  fell  across  the  dock, 
and  was  much  chafed. 

Brig  Banian,  of  Boston,  from  Matanzas,  dragged  from  the 
stream  against  Granite  and  T  Wharfs,  and  was  much  injured  by 
the  contact,  staving  her  boat,  the  store-houses,  he. 

Barque  Creole,  drove  from  the  stream  against  brig  Adelaide, 
carrying  away  her  bowsprit,  and  chafing  her  badly.  The  Ade- 
laide then  dragged  against  the  Hamburg  brig  Edwin,  danj^ging 
her  sides,  chain  plates,  &c.  A  lighter  sloop  was  sunk  at  Central 
Wharf. 

A  schooner  at  Arch  Wharf,  drove  her  bowsprit,  through 
a  store. 

Schooner  Herperus,  of  Gardner,  from  Pittston,  parted  her 
chain  in  the  stream,  drove  against  ship  William  Badger,  atRowe's 
Wharf,  parted  her  fasts,  and  both  drove  up  the  dock.  The 
schooner  carried  away  her  bowsprit,  and  stove  her  bows  ;  the 
ship  was  badly  chafed,  and  drove  her  jib-boom  through  a  store. 

Brig  Edwin,  at  India  Wharf,  chafed  off  all  her  sheathing,  fore 
and  aft,  split  several  planks,  stove  a  hole  in  her  side,  carried  away 
her  chains,  fore  and  aft,  jib-boom  and  main-boom,  and  tore  up 
considerable  of  the  wharf.  Brig  Gertrude,  from  Mansanilla, 
drove  up  the  dock  between  Central  and  India  Wharfs,  stove 'in 
her  stern,  and  carried  away  her  bowsprit. 

Brig  Ajax,  at  Foster's  Wharf,  carried  away  bowsprit.  Brig 
Cypress,  at  Carleton's  Wharf,  was  badly  chafed.  Schooner  Clo- 
rinda,  lost  her  foremast  and  bowsprit,  filled  and  sunk.  Sloop 
Hepzibah  also  filled  and  sunk. 

Schooner  Thomas,  from  Portland,  dragged  from  the  stream 
against  Union  Wharf,  starting  the  planks  in  her  larboard  quarter. 
The  sloop  of  war  Concord,  broke  from  the  wharf  at  the  Navy 
Yard,  Charlestown,  and  drove  against  the  Columbus,  74,  dam- 
aging both  vessels. 


5 

BOSTON  BAY,  AND  VICINITY. 

Sweedish  brig  Preciosa  sailed  from  Boston  on  Saturday,  was 
driven  back,  and  at  11  o'clock  on  Monday  anchored  inside  Cohas- 
set  rocks,  and  cut  away  both  masts,  where  she  rode  out  the  gale. 

Schooner  Mary  Frances,  of  Belfast,  which  drove  out  of 
Gloucester  harbor,  went  ashore  on  Tuesday,  on  MarshSeld  beach. 
Goods  all  saved.  Schooner  Antioch,  of  Ellsworth,  also  drove 
out  of  Gloucester,  brought  up  on  Nichols'  Rock,  Cohasset,  bilg- 
ed badly ;  cargo  of  wood,  lumber,  &c.  ;  almost  a  total  loss. 
Schooner  Enterprize,  of  Phippsburg,  from  Bath,  for  New  Or- 
leans, run  ashore  high  and  dry,  near  Worrick's  Hotel,  Cohasset, 
all  safe.  Schooner  Robert  Raikes,  of  Thomaston,  from  New 
York,  went  ashore,  a  total  loss ;  cargo  much  damaged.  Schooner 
Eddington,  from  Bangor,  for  Providence,  went  ashore,  wreck, 
cargo  lost.  Schooner  Margaret,  of  and  from  Bath,  for  Charles- 
ton, S.  C.  ran  ashore  north  of  the  light-hpuse,  not  much  damage. 

British  brig  Susanna,  drove  up  to  Qiiincy.  British  schooner 
H.  Davenport,  for  Annapolis,  went  ashore  on  Hospital  Island. 
Schooner  Susan  Jane,  of  Bluehill,  from  New  York,  with  flour 
and  navy  timber,  anchored  off  Black  Rock,  Cohasset,  lost  both 
her  masts  and  her  rudder,  parted  one  chain,  but  the  other  held 
her  ;  she  was  abandoned. .  The  captain,  his  wife,  and  the  crew, 
landed  safely  at  Scituate.  Schooner  Julia,  Morrill,  of  and  from 
Dresden,  anchored  on  Sunday,  off  Spectacle  Island,  dragged, 
struck  a  rock,  knocked  off  her  rudder,  after  which  she  cut  away 
her  masts  and  rode  it  out. 

The  brig  Columbus,  of  Boston,  anchored  outside  of  Plymouth 
flats,  dragged,  and  run  aground.  Packet  schooner  Homer,  from 
New  York,  also  run  high  up  on  the  flats,  with  the  loss  of  both 
her  chains.  Brig  Sea  Island,  drove  on  the  flats  at  the  same  time, 
with  the  loss  of  both  top-gallant  masts.  The  schooner  Mary 
Ann,  of  Castine,  from  New  York,  went  to  pieces  at  Warren's 
Cove,  crew  saved. 

CAPE  COD,  AND  VICINITY. 

The  ship  Martha  Washington,  of  Ca?tine,  which  sailed  from 
Boston  for  Mobile,  on  Saturday,  was  driven  ashore  on  Palmet 
Harbor  bar,  about  three  miles  south  of  the  Highland  light,  inside 
of  Cape  Cod,  and  was  got  off  without  having  sustained  much 
injury.  New  brig  Alice,  Jordan,  from  Bath,  for  Cuba,  went 
ashore  about  three  miles  west  of  the  Highland  light,  both  masts 
carried  away.  The  captain,  his  wife,  and  crew,  were  taken  off 
about  12  o'clock  Tuesday  morning.  Two  fore  and  aft  schooners, 
unknown,  went  ashore  buck  of  Wellfleet,  on  Monday,  P.  M.  and 
went  to  pieces,  and  all  on  board  perished.  From  Provincetown 
to  Eastham,  21  vessels  went  ashore. 


A  Bath  stiip,  said  to  be  lumber  laden,  went  ashore  in  tho 
vicinity  of  Orleans. 

The  I)ri5  Democrat,  Sylvester,  from  Bath,  for  Barbadoes, 
went  ashore  on  the  evening  of  the  16lh,  at  Dennis  Point,  in  Barn- 
stable Bay,  and  lost.  The  hull  of  the  brig  Diligence,  Woodbu- 
ry, from  Portland  for  Havana,  anchored  about  half  way  between 
Barnstable  Bar  and  Billingsgate  light,  her  spars  all  gone. 

A  large  full  rigged  brig  was  very  near  the  breakers  on  Barn- 
stiible  Bar,  on  the  morning  of  the  17th  ;  but  the  wind  having 
moderated,  she  obtained  an  offing,  with  tac-help  of  the  strong  ebb 
tide.  Schooners  Vischer  and  Magnet,  were  somewhat  damaged 
on  Monday  night,  by  contact  with  schooner  Trio. 

Schooner  Sjio,  Darby,  of  Brooksville,  Me.  from  Philadelphia 
for  Boston,  with  coal,  went  ashore  back  of  Wellfleet,  and  will 
probably  be  a  total  loss  ;  crew  saved. 

Schooner  Caledonian,  Emerson,  of  Bucksport,  went  ashore 
back  of  Eastham  ;  crew  saved. 

Two  herm.  brigs,  names  unknown,  went  ashore  on  the  inside 
of  the  Cape,  near  Wellfleet,  on  Monday,  one  laden  with  flour 
and  corn.  Brig  Maria,  Johnson,  from  Richmond  for  Boston,  was 
stranded  in  the  late  gale  at  Wellfleet;  the  cargo  is  landing  on  the 
beach.  Schooner  Amethyst,  of  North  Yarmouth,  from  St.  Johns, 
Florida,  sunk  ofl^  Wellfleet,  all  lost. 

Brig  Rideout,  from  Bath  for  Matanzas,  was  driven  among  the 
breakers  on  the  Cape,  capsized,  and  all  hands  were  lost.  Brig 
Austin,  Walston,  from  Bath  for  Matanzas,  was  more  fortunate  ; 
she  was  driven  ashore  near  the  same  place,  but  beat  over  the  outer 
bars,  and  by  the  means  of  a  rope,  all  tbe  crew  succeeded  in  reach- 
ing the  shore,  much  exhausted.  Schooner  Shakspeare,  Ulmer, 
fix)m  Havana  for  Boston,  went  ashore  near  the  same  place,  and 
was  totally  wrecked  ;  the  crew,  however,  were  all  saved.  Brig 
Garabasset,  of  Pordand,  bound  from  Havana  for  Boston,  went 
ashore  near  the  Highland  light  on  Sunday  evening,  and  vessel  and 
cargo  were  lost,  and  seven  out  of  nine  of  the  crew  were  saved. 
Sloop  Independence,  of  Charleston,  sunk  in  Provincetown  har- 
bor on  Sunday  ;  the  crew,  four  in  number,  remained  in  the  rig- 
ging for  some  hours,  and  at  length  were  rescued  by  the  gallant 
exertions  of  some  of  the  Cape  Cod  men,  who  at  the  imminent 
risk  of  their  lives,  went  off  to  them  in  a  whale  boat.  Sloop 
Belvidere,  of  Boston,  with  sand,  drifted  from  her  anchors,  and 
went  ashore  in  Provincetown  harbor.  Brig  Carter  Braxton, 
Smith,  from  Fredericksburg  for  Boston,  drifted  from  her  anchor- 
age and  went  ashore  ;  got  off  without  much  damage.  Schooner 
Pioneer,  Moore,  from  Goldsborough,  Me.  for  Lyme,  Con.  drag- 
ged ashore  ;  got  off  with  trifling  damage.  Schooner  Chappell, 
Moore,  from  Steuben,  Me.  for  New  York,  dragged  with  both  an- 


«bors  ahead,  but  cut  away  both  masts  and  rode  out  the  ^ale. 
Schooner  Albion,  Smith,  of  Hampden,  from  New  York  for  Bos- 
ton, slipped  her  cables,  and  got  alongside  of  a  wharf,  witli  loss  of 
bowsprit,  cutwater,  davits,  &,c.  Schooner  Brenda,  of  Boston, 
drifted  from  her  anchorage,  went  afoul  of  schooner  Tarquin,  caus* 
ing  some  damage  to  the  latter  ;  the  Brenda  had  her  bends  and 
one  plank  stove  in,  and  was  obliged  to  cut  away  her  foremast  to 
get  clear.  Sloop  Minerva,  of  INorwalk,  Con.  deeply  loaded,  for 
Boston,  carried  away  her  mast  about  fifteen  feet  from  the  deck, 
and  rode  out  the  gale  in  the  harbor. 

A  large  brig  went  ashore  on  the  back  of  the  Cape,  the  crew 
took  to  the  tops  and  were  saved.  A  large  schooner  also  went  on 
shore  and  lost  both  masts.  A  brijj  went  ashore  on  the  outer 
breakers,  and  went  to  pieces  in  the  night ;  all  on  board  lost ;  her 
keel,  timbers,  &.c.  drifted  ashore. 

The  schooner  Boston,  Bray,  from  Philadelphia,  for  Boston, 
slipped  her  chains  in  the  Bay,  and  went  ashore  on  Long  Point, 
but  got  off  without  much  damage. 

LYNN  AND   MARBLEHEAD. 

At  Lynn,  the  schooner  Catharine  Nickols,  Woodward,  went 
ashore  on  Nahant,  at  about  4,  P.  M.  The  vessel  was  washed 
into  a  mere  mass  of  splinters  ;  three  men  were  lost. 

At  Marblehead,  although  every  vessel  but  one  went  ashore, 
no  lives  were  lost.  The  schooner  Minerva,  Rollins,  from  Pittstown 
for  Plymouth,  lost  both  masts  and  bowsprit,  threw  over  her  deck 
load  of  hay,  &5:c.  Schooner  Paul  Jones,  high  and  dry  on  the  rocks, 
bilged.  Schooner  Sea  Flower  with  corn  and  flour,  on  the  beach,  a 
total  loss  of  the  vessel  and  part  of  the  cargo.  Schooner  Brilliant 
lost  her  main  boom,  stern  ripped  down.  Schooner  Tassc,  slightly 
damaged.  The  schooners'  Mary,  Swazey ;  J.  Q.  Adams,  PIu- 
tus,  Two  Brothers  and  Burlington,  ran  ashore  on  River  Head 
Beach.  The  stern  of  a  small  craft  was  found  on  tMs  beach, 
probably  wrecked  on  one  of  the  Islands  at  the  mouth  of  the 
harbor. 

r  GLOUCESTER. 

The  greatest  destruction  took  place  here ;  the  gale  was  truly 
terrific,  and  the  devastation  unprecedented  and  terrible.  The 
following  is  a  list  of  the  vessels  that  were  most  severely  injured  ; 
all  of  wliich  ran  ashore  unless  otherwise  stated. 

Schooner  Eliza  and  Betsey,  of  Mount  Desert,  sunk  at  her 
anchors  ;  Joseph  Golt,  Alpheus  Gott,  (picked  up,)  Peter  Gott 
and  Joseph  Gott,  her  crew,  all  lost. 

Schooner  Boston,  Thomas,  of  Belfast,  with  wood  and  lum- 
ber, for  Salem ;  vessel  and  cargo  totally  lost;,  crew  saved. 


Schooner  Mary  Jane,  of  Portland,  cargo  of  molasses ;  cut 
away  masts,  stove  deck  load,  crew  taken  off. 

Schooner  Columbia,  of  Bremen,  Maine,  Jacob  L.  Kaler, 

master;    total    wreck  j   William    Wallace    and  ■ Hofses 

drowned. 

Schooner  Neutrality,  of  Portland,  William  Shays,  master  j 
crew  saved,  vessel  and  cargo  total  loss. 

Schooner  St.  Cloud,  Park,  from  New  York  for  Prospect, 
total  wreck,  crew  saved. 

Schooner  Favorite,  of  Wiscasset,  vessel  and  cargo  total  loss', 
Mrs.  Sally  Hilton  and  Wm.  Mann,  drowned  ;  former  picked  up. 

Schooner  Sally,  of  W^iscasset,  Capt.  Drake  ;  vessel  and  car 
go  total  loss,  Capt.  Drake  and  brother  drowned. 

Schooner  Fame,  (three  masted)  of  Ellsworth,  Capt.  Lord; 
vessel  bilged ;  cargo  may  be  saved,  no  lives  lost. 

Schooner  Delta,  of  Augusta,  Capt.  Moor;  vessel  above  high 
water  mark ;  no  lives  lost. 

Schooner  Sarah,  of  Portsmouth,  owned  by  G.  Melcher ; 
cargo,  corn  and  flour,  partly  saved ;  no  lives  lost. 

Sloop  Portland,  of  Brunswick,  on  shore ;  hands  saved.  - 

Schooner  Prudence,  of  Prospect;  vessel  and  cargo  lost, 
crew  saved. 

Schooner  Sally  and  Mary,  of  Bristol ;  vessel  and  cargo  lost, 
crew  saved. 

Schooner  Industrj^  of  Prospect ;  vessel  and  cargo  lost,  crew 
saved. 

Mary  Francis,  of  Belfast,  Warden.  Just  as  the  Custom 
House  boat  boarded  her  on  Monday  afternoon,  her  last  cable, 
parted,  and  she  went  to  sea ;  the  boat  took  off  the  crew  and  two 
passengers,  B.  F.  Blackstone  and  Dr.  Boyden,  of  B. 

Schooner  Volant,  of ,  wreck ;  crew  believed  to  be  all 

saved. 

Schooner  Mary  Gould,  of ,  wreck ;  crew  saved. 

Schooner  Charlotte,  of ,  wrecked  ;  crew  saved. 

Schooner  Walrus,  of  Bucksport,  wrecked  at  Pigeon  Cove ; 
crew  all  perished  ;  four  bodies  found.     Cargo  of  corn,  flour,  &c. 

Schooner  Brilliant,  of  Mount  Desert ;  vessel,  cargo  and  three 
men  lost;  names  unknown. 

Schooner  Milo,  of  Bristol,  vessel  ^nd  cargo  lost ;  one  man, 
Samuel  Sprowl,  drowned. 

Schooner  Splendid,  of  New  Castle ;  vessel  and  cargo  lost, 
crew  saved. 

Schooner  Sally,  of  Wiscasset ;  vessel,  cargo  and  two  men, 
Hartley  and  Isaac  Decker,  lost. 

Schooner  North  Carolina,  of  Calais,  James  Barter,  Jr.  from 
Calais,  bound  to  Newport,  with  lumber,  cut  away  masts  and  rode 


^  onl  the  gale ;  sustained  Injury  by  vessels  driflifip;  afoul  of  her. 
Schooner  Cooper's  Fancy,  Bridges,  of  Mount  Desert,  vessel 
sunk,  crew  saved.  , 

Schooner  F.  Severs,  lost  on  Norman's  Wo.  Sloop  Eagle,  of 
Bowdoinham,  went  to  pieces  ;  crew  saved. 

Schooner  Ariel,  Ellsworth,  from  Boston  for  Frenchman's  Bay, 
dismasted  ;  crew  taken  off.  Schooner  Eliza  &i  Betsey,  of  Mouot 
Desert,  driven  ashore  ;  crew  saved.  Schooner  Alert,  Dunien, 
of  Woolwich  for  Boston,  dismasted ;  crew  taken  olT. 

Schooner  Henrietta,  Dunten,  of  Westport,  for  Norfolk,  dis- 
masted ;  crew  saved. 

At  Sandy  Bay,  a  schooner  struck  a  reef  while  entering  the 
harbor,  and  went  to  pieces  instandy.  It  is  thought  all  on  board 
were  lost;  her  name  was  unknown;  four  bodies  came  ashore. 

IPSWICH  AND  VICINITY. 

At  Ipswich,  schooner  Deposite,  of  Belfast,  with  lumber, 
went  ashore  on  Lakeman's  beach  ;  four  lost;  two  men  and  one 
woman  saved. 

At  EssKX,  a  schooner  went  ashore  on  Patch's  beach ;  six 
persons  lost,  one  saved. 

NEWBURYPORT. 

Fifteen  or  twenty  vessels  were  Injured,  but  we  believe  no  lives 
lost.  Among  the  vessels  damaged,  were  the  Nancy,  badly  ;  Ri- 
naldo,  loss  of  mast  and  other  damage  ;  Ivy,  Mechanic,  and  Har- 
mony. Schooner  Good  Intent,  at  one  of  the  lower  wharves, 
got  foul  of  the  Hope,  and  both  were  damaged.  Schooner  Glide, 
loaded  for  New  Orleans,  was  badly  chafed  at  the  wharf;  also  the 
Margaret,  for  Baltimore.  Ship  Huntress,  reported  on  Saturday 
to  have  sailed,  did  not  get  out,  but  returned  to  the  wharf,  where 
she  lay  with  no  other  damage  than  rubbing  her  paint. 

Such  is  believed  to  be  a  very  correct  account  of  the  destruc- 
tion caused  by  the  first  storm,  and  who,  in  looking  over  the  ex- 
tended list,  can  fail  to  perceive  that  it  was  one  wide  scene  of 
devastation  along  the  whole  eastern  coast  of  Massachusetts.  On 
the  coast  of  Maine  the  storm  was  less  severe,  as  it  was  at  the 
southward.  A  few  of  the  most  distressing  shipwrecks  deserve  to 
be  detailed  more  particularly, 

The    Schooner    Catharine    Nichols This   vessel, 

owned  in  Charlestown,  and  bound  thither  from  Philadelphia,  with 
a  load  of  coal,  was  wrecked  on  Nahant,  on  Sunday,  at  4  o'clock, 
P.  M.  Capt.  Woodward  first  made  Egg  Rock,  through  the 
thick  and  almost  impenetrable  atmosphere.  Having  thus  learned 
his  position,  he  ran  round  into  Reed  Cove,  on  the  S.  W.  side  of 
Nahant.  At  this  lime  the  wind  was  so  light,  and  blowing  from 
2 


10 

siich  a  mmrter,  that  all  ilie  cre\v  might  easily  have  e.^caped  in  the 
boat.  But  hope,  so  deceitrul  to  hundreds  during  ihis  gale,  indu- 
ced them  to  ren»ain  on  board.  The  wind  was  at  that  time  favora- 
ble, and  they  were  sheltered  by  the  high  hills  of  the  promontory 
from  the  violence  of  the  tempest.  But  they  were  doomed  to 
sudden  disappointment.  Hardly  had  they  anchored  before  the 
wind,  as  if  bent  on  ruin,  chopped  round  so  as  to  make  the  cove 
no  shelter.  In  thirty  a.inutes  they  parted  their  cables,  drove  by 
Baylie's  Point,  and  rushed  furiously  on  the  shore.  By  this  lime 
the  generous  citizens  thronged  the  shore  in  hopes  to  save  tlie 
crew  of  the  doomed  vessel.  After  she  first  stmck,  she  wheeled 
round,  and  on  the  back  of  a  mountain  surge  was  rolled  up  upon 
the  reeky  shore,  and  immediately  one  mast  went  by  the  board. 
When  ihe  waves  retired,  several  men  would  make  a  desperate 
effovt  to  seize  some  one  on  board  and  run  him  on  shore.  Mr. 
Johnson  is  understood  to  have  been  principaly  instrumental  in  this 
philanthropic  work.  In  this  way,  the  captain  and  two  of  the 
crew  were  saved.  Soon,  the  other  mast  was  carried  away,  and 
as  it  fell  another  man  crept  forward  and  over  the  gunwale.  He 
was  seized  on  the  return  of  the  wave,  but  was  found  to  have  been 
wounded,  probably  by  the  frilling  of  the  mast.  As  they  laid  hoM 
of  him  they  heard  him  say,  *'Oh  dear,"  and  when  he  reached 
the  shore  he  moiioncd  them  to  lay  him  down,  which  they  did, 
and  he  immediately  died.  His  name  was  Whitton.  The  mate 
stuck  to  the  vessel  to  the  last,  feeling  assured  that  he  should  es- 
cape, as  he  had  passed  through  so  many  perils  safely,  but  he  was 
at  the  last  point  of  danger.  He  died  amidst  the  roaring  surf, 
and  was  found,  stripped  of  every  particle  of  clothing  except  his 
stock  and  stockings,  jammed  in  among  the  rocks  of  that  iron 
shore.  When  the  Inst  mast  fell,  a  man,  (the  only  one  whose  fate 
has  not  been  stated)  was  seen  to  crawl  out  upon  it  through  the 
mad  and  foaming  waves.  Soon  the  mnst  broke  loose  from  the 
schooner,  and  instead  of  washing  on  shore  as  the  poor  fellow 
had  vainly  hoped,  it  drifted  seaward,  ancf  he  was  carried  out  of 
sight  to  be  buried  in  the  depths  of  Lynn  Bay.  On  Tuesday, 
the  two  bodies  which  had  been  recovered  were  taken  to  the  first 
Methodist  Church  in  Lynn  ;  appropriate  fimeral  services  were 
perfoiTnerf,  and  the  victims  of  tiie  sea  were  committed  to  the 
bosom  of  the  earth.  Tiie  name  of  the  man  drifted  to  sea  was 
John  Lindsay  of  Philadelphia.  The  vessel  went  entirely  to  pieces. 
The  Brig  Rideout.  ..  .This  vessel,  commanded  by  Capt. 
Pnrrington,  of  and  from  Bath,  for  Maianzas,  was  driven  among 
the  dreadliil  breakers  on  the  outside  of  Cape  Cod,  and  capsized. 
Every  soul  on  board  was  lost.  She  went  upon  the  outer  breakers, 
and  being  upset,  remained  among  them,  the  furious  sea  rolling 
<iuhe  over  her  as  if  she  had  been  but  a  log.     Slie  finally  went  to 


11 

pieces.  In  tliis  case,  about  a  dozen  human  bemgs,  flushed  wiih 
hope,  and  anticipating  a  long  life,  were  suddenly  hurried  into  eter- 
nity. The  reader  has  only  to  picture  to  himself,  a  noble  vessel 
careenng  over  the  sportful  waves ;  then  the  rising  of  the  storm, 
the  preparation  of  the  creaking  vessel  for  the  fierce  struggle,  the 
increase  of  the  tempest,  the  breakers  ahead,  the  fruitless  efibrt  to 
clear  th^^m,  the  shriek  and  prayer  as  she  plun;^es  into  the  midst 
of  the  foaming  surges,  where  the  sjway  is  dashed  over  her  very 
truck,  the  reeling  of  the  ship  for  a  moment  as  though  she  were  a 
drunken  man,  and  then  the  fearful  mountain-wave  that  strikes 
her  amidships,  atW  rolls  iier  over  like  a  slaughtered  ox,  throwing 
the  frightened  mariners  into  the  merciless  wateis,  the  gurgling 
cry  of  a  moment  as  they  struggle  even  with  certain  ocAith,  and  then 
the  silence  of  all  save  the  roaring  waves  and  whistling  winds,  and 
be  will  have  som«  idea  of  the  loss  of  the  pooi-  ill-fated  Hideout. 

The  Schooner  Defosite.  .  ..This  schooner,  Cotterell, 
master,  from  Belfast,  with  lumber,  was  wrecked  on  Lakemun's 
l^each,  Ipswich.  She  was  first  discovered  by  Mr.  Marshall,  of 
Ipswich,  who  gave  the  alarm,  and  with  Mr.  Greenwood,  keeper 
o(  the  light,  repaired  to  the  beach.  The  schooner  was  close  into 
tlie  shore,  but  the  surf  was  breaking  over,  and  inside  of  her,  so 
that  a  boat  could  not  live  for  a  moment.  Mr.  Greenwood  dashed 
into  the  surf,  and  at  imnjinent  peril,  succeeded  in  reaching  the 
vessel,  and  with  a  rope  hauled  in  Mr.  Marshall  and  the  boat. 
By  this  time  the  poor  sufferers  on  board  were  almost  gone,  cold, 
and  exhausted,  the  sea  every  moment  breaking  over  them.  The 
wife  of  the  captain  was  among  the  wretched  company.  One,  a 
boy,  lay  dead  in  the  scuppers,  and  a  negro  man  was  in  his  last 
agonies,  when  they  got  on  board.  He  died  in  a  few  minutes. 
Nerved  to  desperate  effort  by  the  peril  of  the  sufferers,  and  tiiat 
common  humanity,  which,  despite  of  the  little  petty  bickerings  of 
men,  will  reveal  itself  in  such  an  hour,  these  two  noble  fellows 
went  to  work  at  once.  The  captain,  almost  senseless,  and  com- 
pletely exhausted,  was  first  lowered  into  the  boat  with  Marshall, 
but  a  wave  instantly  upset  it,  dashing  Marshall  under  the  vessel. 
He  rose  to  the  surface,  and  saved  himself  by  catching  hold  of  a 
rope ;  the  poor  captain  was  drowned  of  course,  as  he  was  inca- 
pable of  helping  himself.  The  cries  of  the  dying  for  succor, 
were  as  nothing  to  the  terrific  shrieks  of  the  captain's  wife,  as  she 
saw  her  husband  buried  beneath  the  wafers.  Two  of  the  crew 
were  got  ashore,  one  of  them  by  floating  on  the  boom.  The  be- 
reaved woman  was  then  lowered  from  the  stern  by  ropes,  and 
Greenwood  and  Marehall,  standing  each  side  of  her  ir^he  water, 
took  advantage  of  an  inward  wave,  and  run  her  ashore  in  tlieir 
arms.  The  names  of  the  three  survivors  are  Mrs.  Cotterell, 
George  Emery  and  Chandler  Mahoney,     The  dead  bodies  were 


12 

taken  to  town  and  Interred  on  Wednesday.  The  services  were 
performed  at  the  South  Church,  before  a  large  concourse  of  peo- 
ple. The  bodies  were  followed  to  the  grave  by  sixteen  sea  cap- 
tains as  bearers,  and  a  long  procession  of  citizens.  The  expres- 
sion upon  the  countenances  of  the  dead  was  striking.  That  upon 
the  face  of  the  young  naan  named  Durham,  was  peculiarly  sweet. 
He  seemed  to  be  a  calm  slumberer,  rather  than  a  breathless  corpse. 

DISASTERS  AT  GLOUCESTER. 

But  tbe  calamities  we  have  recorded  above,  were  nothing  in 
comparison  to  those  which  happened  at  Glouces#r.  The  harbor 
was  supposed  to  be  very  secure,  and  at  the  commencement  of  the 
storm  a  great  many  vessels,  especially  coasters,  put  in  there  for 
shelter.  Unfortunately,  instead  of  anchoring  in  the  inner  harbor, 
as  far  at  least  as  Five  Pound  Island,  or  in  the  South  East  harbor, 
in  both  which  places  the  holding  ground  is  good,  and  the  anchor- 
age well  sheltered,  they  generally  anchored  just  North  of  Ten 
Pound  Island  and  Ten  Pound  Ledge,  where  they  were  right  in 
the  teeth  of  the  current  of  wind,  rushing  in  a  gale  from  S.  E.  or 
N.  N.  E.,  between  Rocky  Neck  and  the  Fort ;  in  the  range  of 
the  lander-tow  rolling  over  Dog  Bar ;  and  on  very  poor  holding 
ground.  Of  course  the  most  of  them  dragged  ashore.  Such  a 
scene  of  terrific  and  horrible  ruin  has  not  been  witnessed  in  that 
harbor  within  the  memory  of  the  oldest  resident,  a  man  104 
years  of  age,  who  has  always  lived  there.  More  than  fifty 
vessels  were  either  driven  ashore,  dismasted,  or  carried  to  sea, 
and  the  loss  of  lives  could  not  have  fallen  much  short  of  fifty. 
From  one  end  of  the  beach  to  the  other,  nothing  could  be  seen 
but  pieces  of  broken  wrecks  ;  planks  and  spars,  shattered  into  a 
thousand  splinters ;  ropes  and  sails,  parted  and  rent ;  flour,  fish, 
lumber,  and  a  hundred  other  kinds  of  lading  and  furniture,  soak- 
ed and  broken  ;  with  here  and  there  a  mangled  and  naked  body 
of  some  poor  mariner ;  and  in  one  instance  that  of  a  woman 
lashed  to  the  windlass-bitts  of  a  Castine  schooner,  lay  all  along 
the  beach,  while  off,  thirty  yards,  with  the  surf  breaking  over 
them  every  moment  and  freezing  in  the  air,  lay  nearly  a  score  of 
lost  vessels;  all  together  forming  a  picture  which  it  is  in  vain  to 
attempt  to  copy  in  words.  In  the  midst  of  this  scene  of  terror, 
the  hardy  and  noble  fishermen  of  Cape  Ann,  fully  proved  that  a 
sailor's  jacket  seldom  covers  a  craven  heart.  They  manned  two 
boats,  the  Custom  House  boat  and  the  Van  Buren  ;  and  fear- 
lessly risked  their  lives  for  the  safety  of  their  fellow  creatures. 
Vessel  aft^r  vessel  was  visited  by  them  ;  they  made  their  way 
over  the  tops  of  mountain-waves,  and  through  the  gaping  chasms 
of  the  hungry  waters  ;  and  from  the  very  teeth  of  greedy  death, 
plucked  many  a  poor,  despairing,  and  exhausted  fellow ;  bringing 


13 

him  safe  to  shore.  Excellent,  generous  men  !  We  would  we 
could  record  all  their  names,  that  posterity  might  approve  and 
emulate  their  deeds  of  daring.  The  boats  were  manned  as  fol- 
lows :  The  Van  Buren  by  Andrew  Parker,  Jr.,  John  Parker 
and  others ;  and  the  Custom  House  boat,  by  Messrs.  Addison  P. 
Winter,  Carter,  Charles  P.  Wood,  Gideon  Lane,  and  D.  D. 
Heartley. 

A  public  meeting  was  called,  at  which  ii  was  resolved  to 
choose  a  Committee  of  Relief,  to  attend  to  the  wants  of  all  the 
sufferers,  and  to  the  interment  of  the  bodies.  The  meeting  vot- 
ed to  have  theAodies  taken  to  some  church,  and  funeral  services 
performed,  under  the  direction  of  the  following  Committee,  who 
were  the  Committee  of  Relief,  viz  :  George  D.  Hale,  G.  H. 
Rogers,  Alphonso  Mason,  Epes  W.  Marcham,  Eben.  H.  Stacy, 
Samuel  Stevens.     Five  hundred  dollars  was  raised  on  the  spot. 

Such  was  the  devastation  wrought  by  the  first  storm,  one  of 
unequalled  fury  and  destructiveness. 

THB   SBCOZffD   aALB, 

Occurred  on  Sunday  and  Monday,  the  22d  and  23d  of  De- 
cember. It  was  less  severe  than  that  of  the  15th,  although  suf- 
ficiently violent  to  have  obtained  under  other  circumstances,  the 
name  of  a  terrible  hurricane.  The  injury  to  shipping  was  con- 
siderable, and  two  at  least  of  the  most  distressing  shipwrecks  we 
ever  had  occasion  to  record,  took  place.  The  following  is  a  list 
of  the  disasters. 

Schooner  Tremont,  Ingraham,  from  New  York,  of  and  for 
Thomaslon,  went  ashore  on  Hampton  Beach,  N.  H.  fifty  rods 
South  of  Great  Boar's  Head,  on  Sunday  morning  ;  the  vessel  and 
cargo  lost,  crew  saved.  Schooner  Henry,  of  Somerset,  capsized 
oft  Leeds'  Pomt,  N.  J.  on  Sunday,  22d,  and  went  down  with  all 
her  crew.  Brig  Julia  McLinn,  Palmer,  from  Porto  Rico,  for 
New  York,  put  into  Lewes,  Del.  on  morning  of  22d  ;  soon  after, 
lost  both  anchors,  and  in  attempting  to  beat  up  to  the  Breakwater, 
run  ashore  and  was  lost ;  crew  saved.  Schooner  Charles,  went 
ashore  at  East  Thomaston,  on  night  of  21st,  and  broke  in  two. 
Schooner  Equal,  Snow,  also  went  ashore  at  the  same  place,  and 
much  damaged.  Schooner  Charlotte,  Farrar,  of  Kingston,  from 
Baltimore  for  Boston,  went  ashore  on  Nantasket,  on  Sunday 
night ;  the  crew  saved,  vessel  had  not  gone  to  pieces.  British 
schooner  H.  Davenport,  which  went  ashore  on  Hospital  Island, 
on  the  15th,  and  was  got  off,  dragged  ashore  again  on  the  22d, 
and  it  was  supposed  could  not  be  got  off  till  spring.  But  the 
most  dreadful  disasters  are  yet  to  be  chronicled.  We  refer  to 
the  loss  of  the  barque  Lloyd,  and  brig  Pocahontas, 


14 

The  LLovn,  Mountfort,  of  Portland,  from  Havana  for  Boston, 
Went  ashore  on  Nantasket,  about  noon  of  the  23d,  in  very  thick 
Weather^  and  a  heavy  sea  on  ;  her  fore  and  mainmasts  were  gone, 
and  only  part  of  the  mizzenmast  was  standing.  Six  of  the  crew 
immediately  got  out  tiie  long-boat,  and  attempted  to  get  on  shore, 
but  the  surf  at  once  filled  the  lx)at,  and  every  man  was  swept  to 
liis  grave  in  the  billows.  Another  of  the  crew,  named  George 
tStolt)  got  out  the  small  boat,  and  finally  succeeded  by  aid  of  the 
boat,  and  then  an  oar,  in  getting  so  near  the  shore,  that  the  in- 
habitants dragged  him  from  the  foaming  breakers.  Capt.  Mount- 
fort,  and  the  two  remaining  hands  then  lashed  tHfemselves  in  the 
mizen  rigging;  the  sea  was  all  the  while  making  a  clear  breach 
over  the  trembling  huli.  Soon  the  two  men  were  broken  from 
their  lashings,  and  hurried  overboard;  they  bufielted  the  surges 
a  moment,  and  sunk  forever.  Capt,  Mountfort  still  remained 
lashed  to  the  rigging,  the  last  survivor  on  board  ;  but  he  could 
live  only  a  short  time  in  that  fearful  position.  The  boat  of  the 
Charlotte,  manned  by  the  crew  who  had  themselves  just  suffer- 
ed the  horrors  of  shipwreck,  stood  ready  on  the  beach  to  seize 
the  first  opportunity  to  get  on  board.  It  came,  and  by  dint  of 
ihe  greatest  exertion,  they  succeeded  in  boarding  the  barque  and 
bringing  Capt.  Mountfort  ashore.  He  had  been  washed  from 
his  lashings  several  times,  and  bruised  by  his  contact  with  the 
tagged  deck,  and  was  insensible  when  he  was  taken  off.  He 
was  immediately  taken  into  one  of  the  huts  of  the  Humane  So- 
ciety, and  every  effort  made  to  restore  life,  but  all  in  vain.  He 
was  sixty  years  of  age ;  the  oldest  shipmaster  out  of  Portland, 
and  left  a  wife  and  three  daughters  to  mourn  over  the  loss  they 
have  experienced.  The  whole  community  will  join  them  in  that 
mourning,  as  Capt.  Mountfort  was  very  much  respected.  His 
body  was  taken  to  the  village  of  Hull.  Here,  as  at  Gloucester, 
Ipswich,  Nahant,  and  other  places,  the  generous  conduct  of  the 
hardy  fellows  who  boarded  the  wreck,  is  above  all  praise.  The 
roll  of  the  Lloyd  was  as  follows  :  Daniel  Mountfort,  of  Port- 
land, Me.  master ;  Frederick  C.  Huntress,  of  Parsonville,  Me. 
mate  ;  Henry  Dodd,  of  Boston,  seaman  ;  William  Guilford,  of 
Limington,  Me.  ;  George  Stott,  of  Baltimore,  (who  was  saved)  ; 
William  Birch,  of  do.;  William  Leslie,  of  New  York;  Henry 
Peck,  and  John  Stewart,  no  residence  given. 

The  Brig  Pocahontas,  James  G.  Cook,  master;  sailed 
from  Cadiz  for  Newburyport,  the  latter  part  of  October.  On 
Monday  morning,  the  23d  instant,  Capt.  Brown  at  the  hotel  on 
Plum  Island  near  Newburyport,  discovered  a  dismasted  wreck 
ashore  on  a  sand  bar,  about  half  a  mile  east  of  the  hotel.  The 
bar,  or  reef,  lies  about  150  yards  from  the  beach,  and  is,  we 
suppose,  what  is  usually  calJed  the  South  Breakers.     By  the 


16 

papers,  trunks,  and  fragmenta  of  the  vessel  strewed  on  the  beacf?, 
she  was  immediately  known  to  be  the  Pocahontas,  At  this  time 
but  three  men  were  to  be  seen  on  board  ;  two  were  clinging  to 
the  bowsprit ;  and  one  was  lashed  to  the  taffrail  almost  or  quite 
naked,  and  apparently,  dead.  The  weather  was  very  thick,  so 
that  no  signals  could  be  made  to  alarm  the  town,  and  before 
intelligence  could  be  conveyed  thither,  only  one  man  was  left 
on  the  bowsprit,  his  companion,  and  the  man  on  the  taff- 
rail  having  been  washed  overboard.  The  sea  was  all  the  while 
breaking  so  furiously  over  the  fated  brig,  that  at  the  distance  of 
150  yards,  with  the  aid  of  glasses,  it  could  not  be  told  whether 
the  poor  fellow  on  the  bowsprit  was  an  old  acquaintance  or  not. 
Through  the  feathery  spray  he  could  just  be  seen  ibr  a  moment, 
and  then  a  mountain  wave  would  roll  quite  over  him.  Yet  in 
this  dreadful  condition  he  hoped  and  tenaciously  clung  to  life. 
Perhaps  he  was  a  citizen  of  Newburyport,  and  possibly  he  could 
now  and  then  see  through  the  parting  surf,  the  spires  of  the 
churches  where  he  had  worshiped  God.  The  lighthouse,  the 
first  gleau)  of  which  over  the  waters  lie  had  long  waited  for, 
were  now  almost  within  his  reach.  He  saw  perhaps  his  own 
friends  thronging  the  shore,  and  he  knev-  that  others,  almost  in 
the  sound  of  liis  voice,  were  waiting  with  breathless  anxiety  to 
learn  the  fate  of  the  last  survivor.  Oh  !  what  terrible  emotions 
must  have  rent  the  bosom  of  the  poor  man,  as  lie  hung  there, 
suspended  between  life  and  death,  hoping  and  despairing,  dying 
in  sight  of  home  in  his  full  strength,  murdered  by  the  pitiless 
waves  before  the  eyes  of  his  own  childhood's  friends.  Once  he 
lost  his  hold  !  'Twas  a  fearful  struggle,  but  he  regained  it,  and 
there  amidst  the  stormy  surges  he  hung  till  noon.  No  one  could 
relieve  him  ;  a  boat  could  not  live  an  instant,  and  about  noon  the 
wretched  man  was  swept  away  and  lost  among  the  angry  waters. 

The  place  where  the  brig  struck  is  the  most  dangerous  spot 
on  the  island,  as  between  it  and  the  shore  is  a  wide  space  of  water 
deep  enough  to  float  the  largest  vessels.  Had  she  Been  a  quar- 
ter of  a  mile  on  either  side,  she  would  have  run  on  a  dry  smooth 
beach.  It  appears  that  she  must  have  anchored  some  time  in 
the  course  of  the  night,  and  being  too  near  the  shore  for  good 
holding  ground,  dragged  from  her  anchors  and  went  stern  on  to 
the  reef  where  she  thumped  until  her  stern  was  stove  in,  and  the 
fearful  breach  which  the  sea  made  continued  to  tear  her  in  pieces, 
until  nothing  but  the  skeleton  of  what  was  once  a  noble  vessel 
'remained. 

When  she  came  into  the  bay,  and  whether  those  on  board 
knew  her  position  during  the  gale  ;  whether  the  majority  of  them 
were  swept  off  together,  or  one  by  one,  being  overpowered  by 
the  intensity  of  the  cold  and  the  violence  of  the  sea,  will  never 


16 

be  known,  as  not  one  of  the  twelve  or  thirteen  souls  on  board  is 
left  to  tell  the  sad  tale.  It  is  heart  rending,  indeed,  that  the  toil- 
worn  mariner,  after  beating  about  on  a  stormy  coast  for  many 
days,  should  be  wrecked  and  perish  within  sight  of  the  smoke  as- 
cending from  his  own  hearth. 

The  Pocahontas  sailed  from  Ca^^liz  in  September;  was  run 
into  by  a  Spanish  ship,  and  compelled  to  put  back,  discharge, 
and  repair;  she  sailed  again  in  the  latter  part  of  October.  As 
most,  if  not  all  of  her  original  crew  left  her  during  this  time,  and 
no  list  of  the  crew  is  found  among  the  papers  which  have  come 
on  shore ;  the  names  only  of  the  captain,  (James  G.  Cook,)  and 
chief  mate,  (Albert  Cook,  son  of  Elias  Cook  o(  JXewburyport,) 
are  known.  She  had  at  least  nine  hands  before  the  mast.  She 
was  271  tons  burthen,  built  in  1830,  was  owned  by  Capt.  J.  N. 
Cushing,  and  the  vessel  was  insured  in  Boston  ;  cargo  not  insured. 

The  wreck  took  place  on  Monday.  During  the  week  seve- 
ral bodies  were  recovered.  On  Saturday  the  remains  of  Capt. 
Cook  were  interred,  and  on  the  following  Monday,  the  funeral  of 
Mr.  Cook,  the  first  officer,  and  s6ven  of  the  crew  whose  bodies 
had  been  found,  took  place  from  the  Federal  Su'eet  church. 
The  house  was  filled  with  an  immense  concourse  of  people,  not 
less  probably  than  2500  in  number.  The  services  were  of  a 
deeply  impressive  character.  Silence,  like  that  of  the  grave, 
reigned  in  the  vast  assemblage,  broken  only  by  the  suppressed 
sobbing  of  some  bereaved  one,  or  of  those  who  had  friends  at 
sea,  and  sympathized  with  the  sufferers.  There  was  the  aged 
parent,  bowed  down  with  grief;  there  were  other  members  of 
the  broken  circle  which  had  often  gathered  cheerly  round  the 
old  familiar  hearth-stone  ;  there  was  the  hardy  old  sailor  weep- 
ing like  a  child ;  and  there,  saddest  of  all,  because  touched  nearest, 
was  one  who  had  waited  for  the  return  of  an  affianced  lover,  to 
consummate  the  happiest  of  all  earthly  contracts.  She  had  watch- 
ed till  the  vessel  should  heave  in  sight,  e'er  the  publication  of 
the  banns  of  marriage.  The  vessel  came  ;  but  she  came  amidst 
the  howling  storm,  and  the  rolling  billows,  bringing  not  the  reali- 
zation of  cherished  hopes.  She  came  the  ship  of  death,  freight- 
ed with  horrors.  The  lover  was  clothed  in  the  robes  of  the 
grave,  before  the  altar  where  Hymen's  vestments  would  soon 
have  been  worn  ;  and  the  drooping  maiden  on  the  day  when  she 
should  have  been  a  happy  bride,  was  a  stricken  mourner  over 
the  wreck  of  hope  and  love.  It  was  a  sad  scene.  None  could 
listen  without  tears  to  the  solemn  monitions  of  the  officiating 
clergymen,  or  the  clear  and  mournful  tone  of  the  requiem. 
Prayers  were  offered  by  Rer.  Mr.  Dimmick  and  Rev.  Dr.  Dana, 
and  the  audience  was  addressed  by  Rev.  Mr.  Campbell.  The 
coffins  were  placed  in  the   broad  aisle,  and  an  American  ensign 


17 

thrown  over  each.  Alter  the  close  of  the  exercises  at  the  churcli, 
a  procession  of  several  hundred  citizens  formed,  notwithstanding 
the  severe  cold  of  the  day,  and  proceeded  with  the  bodies  to  the 
grave,  while  all  the  bells  in  town  were  tolled,  and  the  flags  were 
displayed  at  half-mast. 

Commenced  about  11  o'clock,  P.  M.  of  Friday,  December 
27.  The  wind  was  from  East  to  East  South  East,  and  blew  a 
hurricane  until  near  sunrise  of  the  28th.  The  tide  all  along  the 
coast  rose  to  an  unprecedented  height,  and  great  damage  was 
done  on  shore  by  the  overflowing  of  the  wharves.  Happily  few 
lives  were  lost.  Death  seemed  to  have  been  well  nigh  glutted 
with  his  former  victims,  and  a  good  Providence  spared  such  a 
sacrifice  of  life  as  marked  the  former  gales.  The  following  is  a 
list  of  the  disasters. 

BOSTON. 

Ship  Robin  Hood,  carried  away  the  posts,  &c.  which  held 
her  to  Brown's  Wharf,  and  drove  against  Charlesiown  Bridge, 
doing  a  good  deal  of  damage  to  the  bridge,  and  carrying  away 
her  cutwater. 

Schooner  Velocity,  from  St.  Domingo,  with  coffee  and  log- 
wood, dragged  her  anchors,  and  drifted  against  Union  Wharf, 
bilged  and  sunk. 

Ship  Eagle,  from  New  Orleans,  at  anchor  in  the  stream,  drag- 
ged her  anchors  and  drove  against  Lincoln's  Wharf,  but  expe- 
rienced only  little  damage. 

Schooner  Splendid,  at  City  Wharf,  run  her  bowsprit  into  the 
store  occupied  by  David  Snow,  injured  the  store  considerably, 
and  destroyed  several  barrels  of  flour. 

An  hermaphrodite  brig,  bound  to  the  West  Indies,  loaded 
with  lumber,  drove  against  Downer's  Wharf,  at  South  Boston, 
bilged  and  sunk. 

Brig  Adelaide,  at  Lewis'  Wharf,  having  just  repaired  dam- 
age sustained  in  the  gale  of  the  15th,  had  her  head,  stem,  and 
part  of  her  bow  again  carried  away. 

Ship  Forum,  barque  Maid  of  Orleans,  brigs  Sea  Island,  Plu- 
tiis,  schooners  Senator  of  Portland,  and  Charles,  of  Salem,  and 
sloop  Increase,  all  severally  parted  their  fasts  at  Central  and  In- 
dia Wharves,  and  drove  up  the  dock  the  William,  of  New  Bed- 
ford, Namshong,  of  Marblehead,  Franklin,  of  Salem,  and  sloop 
Packet,  of  do.,  where  they  all  remained  jammed  together,  and 
grinding  each  other  till  the  gale  abated.  Schooner  Namshong 
lost  bowsprit ;  brig  Plutus,  do. ;  schooner  Senator,  had  her  stem 
3 


18 

stove  ;  scliooner  VViJHain,  do. ;  the  others  were  mocli  cliafecJ ;  a 
sloop  drove  an  oak  post  on  India  Wharf,  through  lier  stern,  and 
remained  fast  to  it  at  8  o'clock. 

Ship  Casco,  of  Portland,  at  end  of  Rowe's  Wharf,  stove  in 
her  sidey  and  sunk  the  hull  nearly  under  water. 

Schooner  Atlantic,  at  Brown's  Wharf,  Broad  Street,  had  her 
stern  stove  in.  ^ 

Schooner  Palestine,  of  Nantucket,  at  Woodman's  W^iarT, 
purled  her  fasts,  drove  against  Liverpool  Wharf,  where  she 
thumped  till  she  sunk.  i 

Barque  Ganges,  at  the  end  o^  Foster's  Wharf,  parted  her 
fasts,  drove  into  the  dock  against  barque  Niagara,  brigs  Juniper, 
Acadian  and  Portree,  where  they  all  ground  and  chafed  each 
other  considerably.  The  Juniper  lost  head,  bowsprit,  Uc. ;  the 
Portree  had  her  stern  stove  in,  <kc. 

Schooner  Miller,  Merrill,  from  Bristol,  Me.  cargo  wood  and 
bark,  run  ashore  on  Chelsea  Beach,  high  and  dry  ;  crew  saved. 

A  large  vessel  was  seen  off  Baker's  Island  Light,  at  anchor 
Rear  the  hreakei-s  ;  masts  gone. 

Brig  Lincoln,  Smith,  from  Havana,  via  Vineyard,  struck  on 
the  Spit,  Friday  night,  knocked  off  her  rodder,  lost  fifty  hhds, 
molasses  off  deck,  cut  away  mainmast,  beat  over,  anchored,  and 
rode  out  the  gale  ;  a  steamer  went  down  to  tow  her  up. 

Ship  Geneva,  of  New  York,  at  India  W^harf,  had  her  bow- 
sprit and  head  rigging  carried  away,  her  starboard  anchor  torn 
from  the  bow ;  her  head  and  stem,  to  the  water's  edge,  is  com- 
pFetely  smashed  level  with  the  bow. 

Two  water  boats,  the  property  of  Mr.  Smith,  were  sunk  at 
Central  Wharf;  and  two  other  water  boats,  belonging  to  Mr.  An- 
derson, were  sunk  at  India  W^harf. 

Sloop  Helen,  from  New  Bedford,  drove  from  her  aoclwrs  in 
the  stream,  into  Rowe's  Wharf  dock,  and  carried  away  her  mast 
and  bowsprit. 

Ship  Argo,  at  India  Wharf,  \ml  head,  carried  away  bobstays, 
and  otherwise  damaged  about  the  bows. 

Schooner  Allen,  from  Jacmel,  at  Liverpool  Wharf,  lost  top- 
mast, was  cut  down  amidships,  and  drove  from  Brown's  Wharf. 

The  ship  Columbiana,  of  over  600  tons  burthen,  was  lying 
on  Friday  night  at  Sweti^s  Wharf,  in  Charlestown,  and  broke 
from  her  fastenings  on  Saturday  morning,  about  5  o'clock,  at 
near  high  tide  ;  she  was  partly  loaded  with  ice.  Driven  by  the 
wind  and  tide  together,  she  came  bows  on  against  Charlestown 
(clj)  Bridge,  and  made  a  clear  breach  through  It.  She  next 
brought  i?p  against  the  wharf  at  the  draw  of  Warren  Bridge,  and 
here  the  scene  of  destruction  \s  most  remarkable.  A  story  and 
half  hoise  stood  upon  the  wlrirf,  occupied  by  Mr.  Dix,  who  is 


10 

engaged  in  attending  the  draw,  lighting  lamps,  &c.  Himself  and 
family,  consisting  of  nine  persons,  were  in  bed  at  ihe  time,  and 
all  escaped  without  any  injury^  notwithstanding  the  building  was 
entirely  demolished.  No  two  parts  of  it  are  left  together,  but 
all  presents  a  scene  of  cl)aos  which  cannot  be  imagined.  One 
large  fragment  of  the  chimney  stands  poised  many  leet  from  its 
original  position,  and  directly  beneath  it  is  the  family  bureau,  bed- 
ding and  chairs.  Part  of  the  roofing  was  thrown  overboard,  and 
another  part  projected  on  tlie  bridge^  'The  piers  on  which  it 
stood,  forming  a  part  of  the  wlwirf,  are  broke  or  bent  over, 
and  the  floorin^j  carried  away.  The  bridge  is  much  injured  ; 
the  fencing  broke  down,  and  the  walk  thrown  up  for  some 
distance. 

It  is  remarkable  in  what  manner  the  inmates  succeeded  in  es- 
caping with  their  lives  and  limbs.  One  man,  we  are  told,  was 
thrown  overboard,  but  succeeded  in  regaining  the  wharf,  without 
receiving  injury.  The  children  were  also  saved  from  their  beds 
without  harm,  and  found  shelter  in  the  fruit  shop  at  one  end 
of  the  bridge. 

The  ship  probably  slipped  her  fastenings,  on  account  of  the 
very  high  tide,  which  flowed  over  many  of  the  wharves.  She 
does  not  appear  to  be  at  all  injured,  unless  her  bottom  be  chafed. 
Captain  Barker  was  on  board  the  ship  until  midnight,  and  finding 
all  safe,  left  the  mate  in  charge,  who,  finding  the  vessel  adrift, 
took  the  helm  and  steered  her.  She  passed  directly  through  the 
old  bridge,  as  though  there  had  been  no  obstacle  in  her  way. 
She  would  also  have  passed  through  the  Warren  Bridge  had  not 
the  mate  lufi'ed  her  so  as  to  strike  the  wha^f  and  bring  her  broad- 
side to  the  bridge  ;  by  this  movement,  th&  bridge  was  saved. 

SALEM. 

Pilot  Boat  Leader,  lying  at  her  moorings  off  Phillips'  Wharf, 
parted  her  chain,  carried  away  both  masts,  drove  against  Derby's 
Wharf,  and  will  be  a  total  loss. 

Schooner  James,  of  Belfast,  drove  against  Phillips'  Wharf, 
knocked  a  hole  in  her  bottom,  and  sunk. 

Schooner  St.  George,  of  St.  George,  from  Stonington,  with 
oil,  broke  from  her  anchorage  off  the  Misery,  drove  across  Bev- 
erly bar,  and  was  forced  ashore  near  the  bridge,  considerably  in- 
jured ;  several  female  passengers  were  on  board,  but  fortunately 
no  lives  were  lost. 

Brig  Pamelia,  last  from  Vineyard,  anchored  on  Friday  even- 
ing, near  the  Whale's  back,  off  the  Misery,  and  was  obliged  to 
cut  away  both  masts  in  order  to  save  her.  The  mate  and  two 
men  came  up  in  the  night  (br  assistance,  and  with  two  of  the 


20 

pilots  in  their  boats  attempted  to  return  to  the  vessel,  but  the 
storm  had  increased  so  violently,  that  they  were  obliged  to  put 
back,  after  an  unsuccessful  struggle  of  three  hours.  The  brig 
was  towed  into  the  harbor,  by  the  pilot  boat,  on  Saturday,  and 
Capt.  Sturgis,  of  the  Revenue  Cutter  Hamilton,  being  in  the  har- 
bor, with  several  of  his  men,  rendered  very  efficient  assistance  in 
bringing  her  up. 

The  ship  Sumatra,  was  driven  from  Derby's  Wharf,  and  went 
ashore  South  of  the  Railway,  high  and  dry  on  the  beach.  A 
schooner  ashore  near  the  same  place,  by  Railway  Wharf,  some- 
what injured. 

The  Izette  and  barque  Brazil,  parted  their  fasts  at  Phillips' 
Wharf,  and  drove  against  the  Allen  Wharf,  receiving  but  little 
damage. 

British  brig  Collyria,  Card,  of  and  for  Windsor,  N.  S.  drag- 
ged her  anchors  and  run  foul  of  schooner  Temperance,  Malcom, 
from  Boston  for  Windsor,  carrying  away  the  schooner's  bowsprit ; 
the  masts  of  the  latter  afterwards  went  by  the  board.  The  brig 
drove  against  Derby's  Wharf,  forced  in  her  larboard  quarter, 
and  bilged. 

Schooner  Dove,  of  St.  George,  drove  against  Derby's  Wharf, 
carrying  away  jib-boom,  and  considerably  injuring  one  of  the 
stores. 

The  schooner  Pocasset,  of  Beverly,  was  forced  from  Becket's 
Wharf,  and  brought  up  against  Derby's  Wharf,  running  her  bow- 
sprit through  a  cooper's  shop  near  the  head  of  the  wharf,  chafed 
sheathing  badly. 

The  schooner  Amazon,  of  Deer  Isle,  with  wood,  dragged  on 
the  flats  near  Derby's  Wharf,  and  cut  away  both  masts. 

NEWBURYPORT. 

The  tide  is  stated  to  have  risen  higher  than  at  any  time  be- 
fore for  thirty  years,  completely  overflowing  all  the  wharves,  and 
setting  adrift  and  destroying  a  large  amount  of  property.  The 
damage  to  the  shipping  at  the  wharves  was  much  ,a;reater  than 
has  ever  been  experienced  before.  Of  130  vessels  in  port,  41 
were  more  or  less  injured,  as  follows : 

The  schooner  Panama,  of  Wells,  lying;  at  Bayley's  Wharf, 
with  part  of  a  cargo  of  flour  and  corn,  sunk  at  the  wharf. 

The  schooner  Actor,  partly  loaded  with  salt,  onions,  &c.  for 
the  South,  lying  at  Bartlett's  Wharf,  filled  and  sunk. 

The  pink-stern  schooners  Harmony,  Van  and  Union,  also 
sunk  at  the  wharves. 

The  schooners  Trio  and  Grampus,  at  Perkins'  Wharf,  had 
their  sterns  completely  stove  in,  and  sustained  other  damage. 


^1 

The  schooner  Vulture,  at  Bay  ley's  Wharf,  had  her  main  top- 
mast broken  off,  parted  her  fasts,  stove  in  her  stern,  and  sustain- 
ed considerable  other  damage. 

A  new  brig  lying  at  Cushing's  ^Wharf,  was  so  badly  chafed, 
that  many  of  her  planks  will  have  to  be  taken  out. 

The  schooner  Nun,  which  came  from  Boston,  just  before  the 
commencement  of  the  gale,  with  a  valuable  cargo,  parted  her 
fasts  at  Commercial  Wharf,  and  drove  to  the  upper  side  of  the 
mast-yard  of  Messrs.  Cook,  where,  after  breaking  off  her  bow- 
sprit, davits,  and  tearing  out  one  side  of  a  shed,  she  lay  in  a 
snug  berth. 

The  schooners  Traveller,  of  Wells,  and  Herald,  had  their 
sterns  stove  in. 

The  schooners  Tom  Bolin  and  Orison,  of  Wells,  lost  their 
bowsprits. 

The  schooner  Nancy,  which  was  badly  damaged  in  the  gale 
of  the  15th,  and  had  just  been  repaired,  was  again  considerably- 
damaged. 

The  schooners  Hope,  Atlas,  Ellen,  Retrieve,  Mercy  &  Hope, 
Aurora,  Mechanic,  Harriet,  Alphion,  and  Baltic,  were  also  very 
badly  chafed  or  otherwise  damaged. 

The  new  ship  Viola  was  somewhat  chafed. 

The  schooners  Andromeda,  Anti,  Rinaldo,  Franklin,  of 
York,  Reward,  Camelia,  of  Portsmouth,  were  also  chafed  ;  An- 
gola, stern  carried  away  ;  Agnes,  do.  ;  Albion,  quarter  boards 
gone ;  Enterprize,  do. ;  Wave,  Evelina  of  York,  and  Spartan, 
had  sterns  stove  ;   Eunice,  broke  main  boom. 

GLOUCESTER. 

The  brig  Aladdin,  of  North  Yarmouth,  from  Baltimore  for 
Portsmouth,  ashore  and  stern  knocked  out,  crew  saved;  her 
cargo  of  corn  and  flour,  was  saved  in  part,  though  in  a  damaged 
state. 

Brig  Richmond  Packet,  Captain  Drinkwater,  of  Deer  Isle, 
from  Richmond  for  Newburyport,  entirely  gone  to  pieces,  and 
her  cargo  of  corn  and  flour  mostly  lost ;  the  crew  saved,  but  the 
wife  of  the  captain,  in  attempting  to  reach  the  shore  on  a  spar, 
was  drowned. 

The  schooner  Bride,  from  Georgetown  for  Salem,  ashore  and 
bilged,  crew  saved ;  cargo  of  corn  and  flour,  saved  in  a  dam- 
aged state. 

The  schooner  Thetis  from  Philadelphia  for  Portland,  with 
coal,  crew  saved ;  vessel  and  cargo  a  total  loss. 

A  schooner  ashore  in  the  inner  harbor,  and  another  outside 
at  anchor,  with  masts  cut  away. 


CAPE   COD. 

Provincetown. — The  loss  of  shipping  here  is  immense } 
brig  Imogene,  (whaler,)  it  is  thought  will  be  a  total  loss.  The 
brig  Fanny,  (whaler,)  suffered  much  in  her  hull.  The  schooners 
Caroline,  Brenda,  Amazon,  and  Alice  &,  Nancy,  lost  their  sterns, 
and  received  much  other  damage.  The  schooner  Delphi  lost 
most  of  her  sails,  and  had  her  hull  badly  damaged.  The  schooner 
Joseph  Helen,  loaded  for  New  Orleans,  lost  windlass,  bowsprit, 
foremast  sprung,  and  badly  damaged  in  her  hull.  All  the  above 
are  very  high  up  on  the  beach. 

The  schooner  Elizabeth  Ann,  of  and  for  Halifax,  from  Bos- 
ton, with  flour,  grapes,  raisins,  he.  drove  ashore  and  sunk  ;  her 
decks  were  under  water  at  high  tide  ;  the  cargo  all  landed  in  a 
damaged  state. 

The  schooner  Clio,  Wharp,  from  Norfolk  for  Boston,  drove 
high  up  on  the  beach,  lost  main  boom,  bowsprit,  and  received 
other  damage. 

The  schooner  Planet,  from  Bath  for  Baltimore,  with  lumber 
and  pickled  fish,  also  high  up  on  the  beach. 

The  schooner  Fleet,  loaded  for  Baltimore,  went  ashore  with 
both  anchors  ahead  ;  she  drifted  afoul  of  schooner  Clio,  in  the 
stream,  and  both  vessels  came  ashore  together. 

The  schooner  Pandora,  from  New  York  for  Boston,  with 
flour,  &c.  went  ashore,  but  did  not  receive  much  damage. 

The  schooner  Altorp,  from  Richmond,  with  corn  and  bread, 
ashore  high  and  dry. 

The  new  schooner  William  W.  Wyers,  for  Norfolk,  high  up 
on  the  beach,  and  about  20  other  vessels,  principally  fishermen, 
suffered  greatly  in  spars,  rigging,  and  hulls  badly  damaged. 

The  brig  Wave,  from  Bath  for  Matanzas,  having  lately  got 
off  shore  at  Truro,  went  ashore  again  at  this  place. 

The  following  are  the  particulars  of  the  wreck  of  the  brig 
J.  Palmer,  on  her  passage  from  Philadelphia  to  Boston.  She 
was  lost  on  Friday  night.  How  she  was  lost,  whether  driven  on 
shore  or  foundered,  no  one  can  ever  learn,  as  all  hands  were  lost. 
All  that  is  known  of  her  is,  that  pieces  of  a  wreck,  parts  of  boxes, 
flour  barrels,  &c.  were  picked  up  on  Sunday  morning,  on  the 
eastern  shore  of  Conanicut.  Among  parts  of  the  wreck,  is  a 
quarter-deck,  almost  entire,  and  part  of  a  head,  on  which  is 
the  name  "J.  Palmer."  It  must  have  been  the  brig  J.  Palmer, 
Ardley,  from  Philadelphia  for  Boston,  which  was  spoken  on 
Thursday,  off  Block  Island.  She  had  lost  her  foresail  in  previ- 
ous gales.  On  Friday  evening,  at  dusk,  a  brig  was  seen  stand- 
ing towards  the  south  end  of  the  Island,  three  miles  off,  without 
any  foresail ;  since  that  time,  nothing  has  been  seen  or  heard  of 
her,  saving  the  melancholy  proofs  of  her  destruction  that  have 


ft3 

been  thrown  upon  our  shores.  There  is  no  ground  for  hope  lha( 
one  of  her  crew  escaped  ;  all  must  have  perished  !  Some  pieces 
of  boxes  that  have  been  picked  up  are  marked  on  the  side,  (and 
therefore  thought  to  be  the  shipper's  marks,)  '*  J.  S.  M.  J.  J.  A. 
H.  D.  Franklin  Window  Glass,"  some  8  X  10,  and  some  7X9. 
A  waistcoat,  with  the  name  of  '*  S.  Browne,"  on  the  back  of  it, 
was  among  the  pieces  of  wreck  that  drifted  ashore. 

Wreck  of  the  Sch^ooner  Miller.  ..  4.  This  schooner, 
Merrill,  master,  bound  from  Bristol,  Me.  with  wood,  to  Lynn,  in 
running  into  the  harbor,  struck  on  a  rock  and  sprung  her  planks, 
so  that  she  leaked  badly.  She  then  anchored,  and  the  pilot,  Mr. 
Pecker,  came  on  board.  Soon  after  he  boarded  her,  she  parted 
her  chain,  and  it  was  determined  to  run  heron  shore.  The  wind 
by  this  time  was  lashed  into  a  perfect  tornado,  and  the  canvass 
which  they  attempted  to  get  upon  her  was  blown  into  ribbons  in 
an  instant.  They  however  managed  to  get  up  just  enough  of 
the  flying-jib  to  steer  her  by,  and  then  put  her  head  for  Chelsea 
Beach.  She  struck  heavily,  and  the  sea  immediately  began  to 
break  over  her.  The  crew  then  ran  forward.  As  the  pilot  was 
making  his  way  forward,  a  sea  broke  upon  her,  and  Pecker  felt 
something  strike  against  him  ;  he  clutched  at  it,  and  seized  a  man 
by  the  hair,  while  he  himself  caught  by  a  rope.  Thus  was  one 
life  saved,  By  this  time,  another  sea  had  lifted  the  schooner 
higher  on  the  beach  ;  and  dropping  one  by  one  from  the  bow- 
sprit, the  whole  crew  were  saved,  some  of  them  being  drawn 
ashore  by  the  pilot.  We  are  much  happier  in  recording  escapes 
than  deaths;  and  especially  is  it  a  pleasure  to  give  praise  to  men 
who  are  the  means  of  rescuing  any  of  their  fellow  creatures  from 
destruction. 

RECAPITULATION. 

From  the  foregoing  account,  it  appears  that  1  barque,  17 
brigs,  68  schooners,  and  4  sloops,  were  lost  in  th§  three  gales  ; 
and  the  estimated  number  of  lives  destroyed  at  the  same  time  are 
from  150  lo  200.  It  was  supposed  50  were  lost  at  Gloucester 
alone  in  the  first  storm.  Besides  this,  23  ships  and  barques,  22 
brigs,  163  schooners,  and  5  sloops,  were  dismasted,  driven  ashore, 
or  greatly  injured  in  some  other  way.  The  destruction  of  prop- 
erty must  have  been  near  ^1,000,000.  We  do  not  suppose  we 
have  ascertained  the  loss  of  near  all  the  vessels  which  have  been 
destroyed  by  these  tornadoes.  Many  were  foundered  at  sea ; 
and  some  went  ashore  and  to  pieces,  so  that  no  intelligible  record 
of  their  loss  is  left  behind. 

Alas  !  what  destruction.  What  wide  spread  ruin  and  desola- 
tion.     Who  can  look  upon  it,  without  fearing  Him,  whose  voice 


24 

IS  heard  in  the  tempest,  and  whose  will  directs  the  storm  ?  Into 
the  short  period  of  fourteen  days,  the  agony  of  years  was  press- 
ed. There  was  enough  of  despair  and  horror  felt  in  that  time, 
to  chill  the  blood  of  youth  or  palsy  the  arm  of  the  strongest.  It 
has  past.  The  waters  heave  as  calmly  as  ever.  The  winds  are 
hushed  upon  its  bosom,  and  the  gentle  heavens  look  down  in 
smiles  on  the  splendors  of  the  deep.  But  the  shipwrecked  mar- 
iners of  December — where  are  they  ?  where  ?  Oh,  that  we 
may  so  live  as  to  be  prepared  even  for  such  a  death  as  theirs. 


WOULD  you  behold  the  works  of  God, 
His  wonders  in  the  world  abroad. 
Go  with  the  mariners,  and  trace 
The  unknewn  regions  of  the  seas. 

The}»  leave  their  native  shores  behind, 
^nd  seize  the  favor  of  the  wind. 
Till  God  command,  and  tempests  rise, 
That  heave  the  ocean  to  the  skies. 

Now  to  the  heavens  they  mount  amain  ; 
Now  sink  to  dreadful  deeps  again ; 
What  strange  affright  young  sailors  feel, 
And  like  a  staggering  drunkard  reel ! 

When  land  is  far,  and  death  is  nigh. 
Lost  to  all  hope,  to  God  they  cry  : 
His  mercy  hears  their  loud  address, 
And.sends  salvation  in  distress. 

He  bi.cis  the  winds  their  wrath  assuage, 
The*furious  waves  forget  their  rage  ; 
'Tis  calm ;  and  sailors  smile  t6  see 
Tiie  haven  where  they,wish'd  to  be. 

O  may  the  sons  of  men  record 
The  wondrous  goodness  of  the  Lord  ! 
Let  them  their  private  offerings  bring, 
And  in  the  church  his  glory  sing. 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 


LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

oo  the  date  to  which  renewed. 

Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 

|6Aug'62W/ 

REC'D  LD 

AUG  6    1962 

LD  21A-50m-3,'62 
'rj7097sl0)476B 

General  Library 

University  of  California 

Berkeley 

VB  20177 


ivi217098 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CAUFORNIA  UBRARY 


IVOK  :W!fJB««xr 


